CENTRAL/KOTA LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN IN MARTHA WASHINGTON - Trainer Robert Holthus got a long President's Day weekend off to a good start when his Kentucky Derby (GI) contender Greater Good won Saturday's Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Now he hopes to complete the three-day weekend on a similar note when Kota opens her 2005 season in the $50,000 Martha Washington Stakes at the track in Hot Springs, Ark.

The daughter of Indian Charlie won the Anna M. Fisher Debutante at Ellis Park and the Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs before she ended her campaign with a runner-up finish to Eclipse Award finalist Runway Model in the Golden Rod (GII) at the Louisville track. She will break from post five in a field of six 3-year-old fillies in the one-mile race.

"She's kind of an overachiever," Holthus told the Daily Racing Form. "We bought her pretty reasonably in Ocala in April, and in fact, the first time we ran her we ran her in a claiming race. She's just matured and kind of has been a surprise."

Kota may need to be very sharp in her season debut if she is to catch likely pacesetter Isabella's Shoes. Trained by William "Jinks" Fires, the sister to the rapid Wildcat Shoes breaks from post one and figures to be gunning from that rail post under jockey Terry Thompson.

Dimple Pitch (Calvin Borel), Aly's Rita (Jeremy Rose), Discreet Gal (Cindy Noll) and Carlea (Luis Quinonez) complete the Martha Washington field.

ENDURING WILL TO FAIR GROUNDS OAKS - Trainer Al Stall, Jr. said that Enduring Will, third to Summerly in the recent Silverbulletday (GIII), would run back in the Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) on March 14.

Meanwhile, trainer Patrick Mouton said that Louisiana-bred star The Beter Man Can would head back into state-bred company in the six-furlong Battler Star Stakes at the Fair Grounds on Feb. 27. She whipped Enduring Will and open company in the Tiffany Lass, but failed to threaten Summerly in a fourth-place finish in the Silverbulletday.

EAST/CAPE HOPE ROMPS IN GAILY GAILY - Overbrook Farm's Cape Hope has been a different filly since trainer Dallas Stewart moved her to the grass and she proved to Florida racing fans that she is a turf star on the rise with a sharp victory in Sunday's $60,000 Gaily Gaily for 3-year-old fillies on the turf at Gulfstream Park.

Fresh off a quick trip from Stewart's winter base in New Orleans, Cape Hope rallied from sixth under jockey Jerry Bailey for an easy two-length victory. Dynamite Lass was second and favored Paddy's Daisy finished third as the homebred daughter of Cape Town covered the 1 1/16-mile distance over "firm" turf in a sizzling 1:39.31.

"She settled nice for me," said Bailey. "She has a good record so she's obviously very talented, and I had no problem running them down."

Cape Hope is unbeaten in three starts on grass. Dance Away Capote was a late scratch. Trainer Graham Motion had entered the filly in hopes that rain would prompt officials to move the race to the main track.

WEST/ COSMIC LADY PULLS SHOCKER IN BURLINGAME - A parade of longshots saw Cosmic Lady (32-1) win Saturday's $70,000 Burlingame Stakes at Bay Meadows by a nose in a four-filly photo finish.

The California-bred daughter of High Brite, who is owned and trained by Lloyd Mason, edged Tense Wager (32-1) for the win. Hold The Game (10-1) was a neck further back in third and favored Laguna Pointe finished another head back in fourth. Cosmic Lady covered 1 1/16-miles over a "sloppy" track in 1:44.07.

KENTUCKY OAKS NOTES - The 2-3 finishers from last year's Kentucky Oaks - Island Sand and Madcap Escapade - launched their 4-year-old campaigns over the weekend on widely differing notes.

Casual Attitude scored her third consecutive victory as she upset Island Sand in Sunday's Pippin Stakes at Oaklawn Park. The mile and a sixteenth race was the first for Island Sand since Nov. 7.

Bruce Lunsford's Madcap Escapade made an emphatic return to racing in her first start since the Kentucky Oaks as she overcame a poor start to gallop to an easy two-length victory in the $150,000 Shirley Jones Handicap (GII) at Gulfstream Park.

Jerry Bailey rode the 4-year-old Hennessy filly, who suffered her only loss in six races for trainer Frank Brothers in the Kentucky Oaks. She covered the distance in 1:22 as Alix M finished second and D'Wildcat Speed was third.

"She's never been a particularly good breaker, so that (slow start) didn't surprise me," said Bailey. "But once she gets in gear, she has a very high cruising speed. I just shook her up a little bit through the stretch.

"It's always good to get the first one out under our belt," said Brothers. "She's an exceptional filly. We'll just enjoy this one and talk about what's next in a few days."

The winner of the Ashland (GI) at Keeneland has now earned $626,400. She went to the sidelines after the Kentucky Oaks following the discovery of a small fracture in her hip.

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